Adhesive tape applicator



May 1, 1951 B. A. ROSEN ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR 2 Sheqt-Sheei 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1950 III/11111110 INVENTOR. BERNARD A. ROSE/V. WM

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR Bernard A. Rosen, Baltimore, Md.

Application January 16, 1950, Serial No. 138,868

4 Claims.

This invention relates to stationary articles and moreparticularly to devices for handling adl1esive' sealing tapes of the Scotch-tape classes, although they also can be used with tapes that are not adhesive or permanently sticky on one of its surfaces.

It has as an object the provision of a new and improved sealing tape applicator that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sealing tape applicator that can apply Scotch tape and the like in a neat and effective manner to a surface and enabling the lengths of tape to be measured off readily and as accurately as may be desired.

free from extraneous mutilation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sealing tape applicator that will make use of parts that are operable to perform plural functions and thereby enable the device to be more effective and efficient. While there have been tape dispensers developed heretofore, they have been limited to the extent of requiring manual ripping or cuttin of the? tape and in most cases the tape itself has to be dispensed entirely by hand. The handling of Scotch tape causes considerable trouble, which the present invention seeks to avoid. In the conventional method the adhesive type of tape sticks to the hands of the user and gets wound upon adjacent articles, often requiring special efforts to detach it or remove and eliminate the wrinkles thatdevelop. This invention is a tape applicator rather than a dispenser and applies the tape in a very eifective and clean manner. It "dispenses the exact amount of tape required in the strip to be cut off. The cutting is done automatically and the cut is in the most effective direction. The tape does not have to be manually pressed or contacted by the operator when used, and it is always ready for additional application whenever required. The difference between a dispenser and an applicator is that the latter not only holds and delivers the tape but also acts as a device for manipulating the tape during the application.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

For a. better understanding of the invention,

its objects and the principles thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. The drawings in conjunction with the following description outline the details of the device and explain its operation while the claims emphasize the scope of the invention.

In the figures shown in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tape applicator embodying thi invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along lin 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-45 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a portion of the interior of the device, without roll and knife;

Figure 3 is a sectional view 88 of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a detail in perspective of the knife used in the device and the support used for holding same.

Similar reference characters relate to the same parts throughout the drawings.

In the structure indicated in the drawings, by way of example, a spool is provided for insertion through the central passage of a conventional roll of adhesive tape II. The spool enables the roll to rotate and to dispense the tape II as is done with the common form of rolled tape. The strip I2 pulled off the roll, is carried under a curved guide plate I3 and slides over its exterior surface. The edge portions I4 of the plate I3 are bent to form a channel that serves as a guide for the strip as it passes out of the applicator. A housing 20 centrally supports the spool Ill and the plate l3 between its lateral walls I6 in any suitable manner, and i preferably contoured as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The

taken along line rear portion of the housing is rounded and forms a chamber l5 for the roll II to rotate in, and the front tapers on upper and lower curved walls 30 and 3| respectively, as well as forms with the fiat side walls I6 of the housing a manipulator chamber ll. The upper wall 30 of the housing has a relatively narrow open window I 8 in it. The lower wall 3| of the housing terminates under this window, as shown in Figure 4.

The plate I3 however continues beyond and is aligned so as to carry the strip I2 to the front face 24 of the housing and merges a a portion of the latter. Beyond that the strip I2 i free 3 to continue indefinitely. The plate 13 has a small window under the other window l8 towards the front of the housing. This window exposes a small area of the tape [2 as it is carried to the end of the plate, and affords an opening for a knife 31 to project through.

The front portion 24 of the housing supports an arcuate cover 25 on bifurcated hinges 2'! slidably journalled in the slots [9 of the lateral walls l6. Normally the cover swings under the housing and covers the area underneath the housing where the strip of tape 12 is exposed. When swung out from this position upwardly and backwardly through about 350 of an arc while at the same time adjusting it backwards in the slot 19, it will register with the wall and fit its hump 21 into the window space I8. The hump 2| in this last position, contacts the cambered converging jaws 22 on the arms '33 that are pivoted at 61 and operate cutter holders 28 that support the blades 29 at right angles thereto. The complete cutter is attached to the housing by a bar 32 inserted in pockets 46, and the retracting coil spring 23 tends to keep the blades of the knife closed against each other. The insertion of the hump 2| forces the arms 33 apart when it is pushed therein, by the thumb or finger of the user. The hump 2| projects outwardly from the cover 26 and serves to balance the manipulator in a horizontal position on a table or desk, when used as a cover. When rotated backwardly to the upper position on top of the housing 28 the hump 2| fits inside the window frame [8 and projects into the housing, so its peripheral surface contacts the cambered jaws 22 and if pressed down further will spread the latter apart and in doing so also separate the blades 29 from each other. The camber of the jaws 22 resiliently resists the pressiu'e of the hump and tends to force it upwardly, so that when the cover is released by the user, the hump and cover will rise and the blades 29 close against each other as shown in Figure 9. If a strip of tape is. located along the-guide plate l3 and extends through the space adjacent the blades, the tape will'cut it.

The applicator is used as follows: First the operator opens the cover 26 until it rests on the upper wall 30, he presses down on the cover 29 until the blades 29 are opened and he contacts the tape at the point shown in Figure 4 with thearticle it is to be attached to. He then tilts the applicator upwardly so the fiat area 40 at the front of the housing presses firmly against the tape to evenly position it in place, and draws the applicator along the surface until sufficient tape has been applied to the selected surface. The user then lifts his thumb so the hump will rise and cause the closing of the blades by spring 23 and cause the blades to cut the strip at the edges and sever it from the balance of the tape remaining in the applicator. The cover is then swung back over the tape to enclose it. The spring 23 helps to close the blades quickly and exert the necessary pressure on the arms 33 and hump 2| to eject the latter when not impressed by the thumb of the user.

The position of the knife mechanism is preferably as indicated in the drawings. The blades 29 cut through the tape leaving the cut off strip free to be removed. The roll end portion of the strip lays on the flat faces 34 of the holders 28 and being sticky stays on them available for future use. The faces 34 are studded with projections 35 that facilitate this action and do the work. The separation of the blades permits the tape to be drawn out and applied. The slidable hinge avoids a complicated mechanismto perform its functions. One of the lateral walls 16 at the rear is split preferably at an angle at 36 and its edges bent to fit, so the cover 38 can be removable and replaceable for the purpose of renewing the roll of tape from time to time.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A tape applying device comprising a casing housing a roll of adhesive tape and provided with an opening through which the tape is dispensed, an arcuate cover pivoted to the front of the easing and normally covering the exposed end of the tape, a pair of pivoted knives carried by said casing for cutting the tape, means for biasing said knives in noncutting position, and means carried by said cover for overcoming said biasing means and placing the knives in tape cutting position.

2. A tape applying device as set forth in claim 1, the pivot for said cover comprising a pair of trunnions extending from said cover and slidable in slots provided in the front end of said casing.

3. A tape applying device as set forth in claim 1, said pivoted knives having adjacent terminal jaws and the means for overcoming the biasing means consisting of a cam element carried by said cover and forcing said jaws apart.

4. A tape applying device as set forth in claim 1, the pivot for said cover comprising a pair of trunnions extending from said cover and slidable in slots provided in the front end of said casing, and said pivoted knives having adjacent terminal jaws and the means for overcoming the biasing means consisting of a cam element carried by said cover and forcing said jaws apart.

BERNARD A. ROSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,100,652 Shimer Nov. 30, 1937 2,235,704 Gorbatenko et a1. Mar. 18, 1941 2,452,584 Luebkeman Nov. 2, 1948 2,487,351 Marsh Nov. 8, 1949 2,493,737 Burns Jan. 10, 1950 

